This is a great time of year to be shooting water subjects as the snow has been melting in the lower elevations of the cascade mountains creating large and thundering cascading water down into the rivers, streams, creeks and waterfalls. The Umpqua National Forest has many of these subjects to photograph and choosing which one to shoot can be difficult. So, I spent 3 days shooting a few of them in hopes to capture the beauty of this area. Here are some images from the 3 days of shooting.

I spent the day shooting a couple of creeks in the northern region of the Umpqua National Forest. The weather was perfect for shooting water subjects as it was overcast with some sunbreaks occasionally along with a light rain from time to time. Here are a few images of these creeks that I was shooting. They are Sharps Creek and Clark Creek.

I headed up to Henline Falls which is in the northwestern section of Willamette National Forest. I had to hike it twice because the first time I was there, it was snowing pretty hard which made for shooting the falls pretty difficult to come away with any great shots, however, I was able to get one good shot as the snow stopped briefly. It was a beautiful short hike through the snow covered pine trees to reach this spectacular waterfall. My two favorite subjects to photograph are waterfalls and snow covered pines. The second time was two days later and I was able to come away with some really good shots that I am happy with. The snow accumulated between 4-8 inches in most places. I didnt use my snowshoes, but could have, it was only about .8 of a mile to reach Henline Falls with plenty of snow still covering the pines making this a winter wonderland with some great scenery. I dont think there is anything like trekking through a snow covered forest and to have a waterfall to see also, I felt like I was in heaven. It was absolutely breathtaking to say the least. Here are a few shots from those two trips.

The changing of the seasons in the Columbia River Gorge area. I hiked up to triple falls to get some photography during the afternoon before the lighting would disappear. I had started later in the day, waiting for the snowfall to begin in this area within the Columbia River Gorge. Some areas within the Gorge already had some snowfall, but this area the snowfall came down much later during the day. Triple Falls and Oneonta Creek were magnificently blanketed in freshly fallen snow, a awesome area that I really enjoyed shooting in. Here are a few shots from the area.

I recently spent a few days far in the Umpqua National Forest here in Oregon. This is a area within Oregon that I frequently photograph. While I was there, the weather had been overcast with some cloud breaks from time to time, making it ideal conditions for shooting water subjects and forest scenes. There is so much to see, explore and photograph in this area, I could spend many years hiking and photographing wihtin this awe inspiring area. I think I came back with many fascinating images of my adventures through this area. I know that I will continue to travel to this area for years to come, in the meantime, here are a few images I brought back from this incredible area.

I spent a couple of days hiking and photographing through the Columbia River Gorge. This is one of the areas that I frequent because of all the waterfalls within a short distance of one another. This area is so lush and green with plant life which keeps drawing me back as much as the waterfalls do. If you have looked through my galleries, you might have noticed that I have many photographs of waterfalls. They have always been my favorite subject to photograph and hike to. One of the trails that I hiked on, was the Eagle Creek Trail. This trail of waterfalls is absolutely breathtaking. There are at least a dozen waterfalls along this moderately sloping trail. The crown jewel of this hike is Tunnel Falls that plunges 100 ft. As you hike along the trail, a tunnel appears as the waterfall plunges from overhead. It is a 6 mile hike and a 1400 ft. elevation gain. This hike overlooks Eagle Creek with spectacular views along the trail. Word of caution on this hike, there are some areas in which you are exposed along side the cliff. Here are a few shots from the Columbia River Gorge area.

October 5th. I was in the Mount Jefferson Wilderness at Pamelia Lake and Hunts Lake. This area within Mount Jefferson Wilderness is absolutely beautiful. However, on this day, the weather was overcast and raining but I managed to come away with a few shots that I am happy with. I plan on going back here again very soon when the weather cooperates and I can get some shots that I had intended, but in the mean time, here are a couple of shots from this day.